Financial Aid for Students with Disabilities

Students with permanent disabilities may receive funds through the Canada Student Grant for Persons with Permanent Disabilities as part of their OSAP funding. In addition, grants are available through the Ontario Bursary for Students with Disabilities (BSWD) and the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Persons with Permanent Disabilities to help with disability-related supports and services for students with permanent or temporary disabilities.

Students receiving aid from another province or territory should contact their province or territory to learn more about the disability-related programs that may be available.

a functional limitation that is caused by a physical or mental impairment that restricts your ability to perform the daily activities necessary to participate in studies at a postsecondary level or in the labour force, and

that is NOT expected to remain with you for your expected natural life.

Set up direct deposit on your ROSI/ACORN account to receive your BSWD/CSG-PDSE funds as a direct deposit in your bank account. You can track your payment by checking your fees account and looking for “BSWD” as the payment type.

Keep in mind that:

You will be notified of your BSWD/CSG-PDSE application results by letter mailed to your ROSI/ACORN mailing address. Be sure that that your ROSI/ACORN mailing address is up to date and your U of T e-mail address is active.

You will be provided with a BSWD Approval Date as part of your award. If you submit multiple applications during the school year, you will be assigned a BSWD Approval Date for each application or informed that your original date still applies.

You must provide receipts to Enrolment Services to show you spent your funding towards recommended services and supports.

BSWD/CSG-PDSE Application Deadline

60 days before the end of your OSAP-defined study period.

You can determine the dates of your OSAP-defined study period by checking your OSAP account on the OSAP website at http://osap.gov.on.ca

BSWD/CSG-PDSE Receipt Information, Instructions and Deadlines

General Information

Receipts are processed in date order. Processing will take between four to six weeks.

Receipts for items or services that are not recommended will not be considered.

Clear photocopies will be accepted. Keep the original receipts for your records.

If receipts aren’t provided and/or you don’t use all of the funds provided to you in your study period, you must return the un-receipted/unused funding if the total amount is more than $20. Failure to do so may result in your restriction from further OSAP funding, including the 30% Off Ontario Tuition Grant, and/or BSWD/CSG-PDSE funding.

Repayments must be made as a money order, certified cheque or bank draft made payable to the University of Toronto and submitted to Enrolment Services. Be sure that your name and student number are clearly indicated on the repayment.

If you change your courses from those listed on the estimates you provided to Accessibility Services, you must consult with your Accessibility Services advisor.

Instructions for Equipment, Software & All Other Items

Clear photocopies will be accepted. You should keep the original receipts for your records.

If the purchase price for a recommended item is greater than the recommended amount, the expense will be capped at the recommended amount.

If the purchase price for a recommended item is less than the recommended amount, you cannot transfer this underspending towards another recommended item.

If you completely withdraw from your studies, your receipts must be dated prior to the date of withdrawal.

If you reduce your course load below the minimum required level to maintain eligibility for your primary source of funding (e.g. OSAP for Full-Time Students requires students with permanent disabilities to maintain a 40% course load), your receipts must be dated prior to this date of course load reduction.

Receipts For Services

You must use the appropriate Receipts for Services form to account for BSWD/CSG-PDSE funding:

All other services (e.g. tutoring, coaching): Services Timelog & Service Receipt Form (PDF). Note: If your BSWD/CSG-PDSE application recommended tutoring for individual courses, you must provide a separate timelog and receipt form for EACH course. You cannot group them together on one set of forms.

The service amount paid is determined by your BSWD Approval Date (i.e., date from which your receipts are considered to account for your BSWD/CSG-PDSE funding).

Receipts for the fall portion of a recommended service will be used to determine the winter term portion. If you have unused funds from the fall service payment, you may carry them forward to the winter term if your application indicates service coverage for both terms.

If the service amount you require for the winter term is less than anticipated, please include with your Receipt for Services form a signed letter stating the revised amount, including any unused funds, you will require. If the service amount is greater than anticipated, submit an additional BSWD/CSG-PDSE application through Accessibility Services before the application deadline.

Reimbursement of services paid by you before your BSWD Approval Date is not an automatic process and considered only when you submit receipts. These receipts should be submitted to Enrolment Services after you receive notification of your BSWD Approval Date during your study period.

If you completely withdraw from your studies, only service receipts dated prior to the date of withdrawal can be considered to account for bursary funding.

If you reduce your course load below the minimum required level to maintain eligibility for your primary source of funding (e.g. Full-Time OSAP requires students with permanent disabilities maintain a 40% course load), only receipts up to the date of this course drop can be considered to account for bursary funding.

If you drop particular courses but still maintain the minimum course load required by your primary source of funding, only receipts up to the date of the course drop will be considered to account for bursary funding linked to specific courses.

Contact Enrolment Services

Enrolment Services
University of Toronto
172 St. George Street
Toronto, Ontario
M5R 0A3

Location:

We are located on the west side of St. George Street, just north of the intersection of St. George Street and Bloor Street West. The closest subway stop is St. George Station.

Email: osap.staff@utoronto.ca (For reasons of security we DO NOT respond by email to questions about current applications for Admission or Financial Aid.)

Contact the Accessibility Service Advisors on your Campus

Accessibility Services advisors on each campus can provide information and assist with certain applications

Students with financial need who are not eligible for government funding for their disability-related educational expenses, or are not eligible for funding for all of their accommodations, can apply to the University for consideration of their needs.

Your university fees consist of tuition, incidental and ancillary fees, and are based on several factors. In addition, you’ll want to consider other costs such as books, supplies, residence, transportation, food and other expenses.

If you are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person, there are many sources of financial aid available to help you cover the costs of your University of Toronto education – from OSAP and other government aid, to assistance provided by the University. Explore your options.

If you are an international applicant, you should find out about your home country’s financial aid programs to see if you qualify for assistance. The University of Toronto is a publically-funded institution and because of that cannot offer financial aid to international students.

I’m an international applicant, can I receive financial assistance from U of T?

The University of Toronto is a publically-funded institution and because of that cannot offer financial aid to international students. If you are an international applicant, you should find out about your home country’s financial aid programs to see if you qualify for assistance.

Submit your OSAP application, then print and sign the consents and declaration pages - and any other required supporting documentation - and either upload them through your OSAP account online, or submit by mail or in person to Enrolment Services.

Follow the instructions provided to submit your Master Student Financial Assistance Agreement (MSFAA) at a Designated Canada Post Office to be forwarded to the National Student Loan Service Centre (NSLSC).

If you are a returning applicant you may not need to submit any documentation.

Eligible high school students are automatically considered for a variety of admission scholarships when they apply to the University. There are also admissions scholarships that require a separate application, and others that require you to complete an awards profile.

Note, however, that the value of scholarships is rarely sufficient to cover all costs the student will incur while attending University of Toronto.